BMW 328 Hommage Concept

As its self-explanatory name tells, the BMW 328 Hommage Concept is a celebration of the iconic 328 model, produced in less than 500 units from 1936 to 1940.

The 328 Hommage maintains the same layout – is a two-seater roadster with a front-mounted engine, and adopts the same design principle of lightweight construction.

While in the 1930’s model the idea was expressed through the use of aluminum and magnesium, which resulted in a total weight of 780 kg, in the 328 Hommage BMW has made extensive use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), which is used – among the others – for all the body panels, where the material is left exposed thus becoming a distinctive styling element.

The exterior design features a surface treatment similar to the one adopted by BMW for its latest concepts, and in particular for the Vision ConnectedDrive Concept, on which the 328 Hommage is actually based.

The design also incorporates a number of elements that create a visual connection to the original model: these include the dominating kidney grille at the front, the round headlights, the absence of doors – entrance is allowed by the deep recesses on the sides – and the wide leather straps that run across the hood.

Other elements inspired from the past include the low, asymmetrical windscreen, that has a recess in the middle, that pays homage to the design of earlier racing cars.

The interior structure is made of CFRP and conveys a sense of lightness thanks to the application of materials and freely suspended elements.

These include two iPhones integrated in the dashboard through special aluminum housing with a shape inspired by the design of classic stopwatches.

Like the Vision ConnectedDrive Concept, the cabin of the 328 Hommage is based on the “layering” design principle. In this case it results in two main large surface areas, both starting at the hood and protruding into the interior.

The first one extends towards the driver, giving form to the driver’s cockpit and is trimmed in brown leather.

The second layer begins next to the scoop, making a sweep towards the co-driver, then floating in front of him.

Check the complete gallery or read below the detailed design information, selected from the official press release.

From the official Press Release:

Exterior Design

The strong wedge shape accelerates the vehicle even when it is at a standstill, the scoops behind the seats take up the lines coming from the bonnet, guiding them dynamically into the rear end.

Precise lines run across all of the car body’s taut surfaces. As a result, a subtle contrast between the tense surfaces and the sharp edges is created within the flat, dynamic silhouette.

The structure of the CFRP mats gives the vehicle an appearance of depth, the diagonal lines of the woven CFRP additionally underscoring the dynamic design vocabulary.

The BMW 328 Hommage has no doors. Then as now, deep recesses allow access to the inside of the car.

The extremely wide and flat front end is strongly three-dimensional, generous surfaces and concise lines give the front end a powerful appearance. Viewed from the front, the CFRP hood appears to en- compass the vehicle from above. It embraces the vehicle, framing the slightly set back front end in a very distinctive downward sweep.

Due to the almost vertical, low-reaching sidewalls, it simultaneously emphasizes the BMW 328 Hommage’s excellent stability on the road. As a result, the vehicle appears to be even flatter and more dynamic as a whole.

Under the hood, further surfaces rise to embed the top and bottom of the distinctive kidney grille, whilst folding themselves around it to shape the adjacent air intakes. Openings and large air intakes create visual lightness at the front, simultaneously demonstrating the high air requirement of the three-litre, six-cylinder engine.

Three-dimensionally designed lattices inside the front vents form a connection between the headlamps and the kidney grille, with the three-dimensional lattice structure acting as an accentuating feature.

The vertically positioned double kidney grille imitates the slim, vertical kidney design of the early BMW models. In those days, the BMW 328 was one of the first BMWs to feature it, after which it became further established with later BMW models.

On the BMW 328 Hommage, the vertically mounted kidney grille is dynamically incorporated into the flat silhouette. It slants back roughly in the middle, thus blending in with the bonnet and the dynamic silhouette when viewed from the side. On the other hand, from the front it appears to be standing upright.

The kidney grille bars are more prominently curved than the kidney grille surround itself. The vehicle displays the extremely round and appealing design of the original BMW 328 kidney grille when viewed from the side. The kidney grille surround is also distinctively three-dimensional, appearing to continue in- side the vehicle. Its front surface is finished in polished high-gloss, whilst the side surfaces have a matt finish.

This detail gives the kidney grille a very high-class and up-to-date appearance. Behind the kidney grille bars, black horizontal fins obstruct the view into the engine compartment – just like on the 328 of

The rear end takes on the design vocabulary featured on the front of the vehicle. Similar to the front end, sections of the sidewall form the framework for the design elements that appear to protrude from the rear end. Between them, located far to the outside, are two clearly and concisely designed taillights sporting the characteristic BMW L shape.

Two filigree luminous elements reflect a strongly curved interpretation of the typical BMW L shape, whilst a concisely constructed bar fitted to the outside of the lamp is directed vertically downward, separating the lamps towards the outside.

The modern functional design of the taillights underlines the technical appeal of the vehicle.

The powerful sculpturing of the rear end also visually conveys the BMW 328 Hommage’s lightness. Large vents and openings characterize the rear end, giving it a light appearance. The distinctively horizontal section below the taillights forms a counterpoint to the intense sculpturing, emphasizing the width of the vehicle. Below that, the rear of the car is strongly arched, a concise line partitions the surface, thereby providing an air of lightness.

This large sculptural element adopts the form language of the front-end design surrounding the kidney grille. The wing-shaped element tapers both upward and downward, thus revealing two large latticed air outlets. The circular tailpipes are located inside these two openings.

They protrude prominently out of the lattice and, combined with the distinctively designed wing shape of the lower air intake edges, underscore the power of the straight six-cylinder engine.

The large, prominently designed individual round headlights of the BMW 328 Hommage are reminiscent of the headlamps featured on the BMW 328, which were integrated into the wings for the first time.

The three- dimensional interpretation of these round headlights is divided into four trans- parent, cylindrical elements, these being back-lit by LEDs. Between them, set- back black concave surfaces symbolize the typical tape cross used on headlights in motor racing. Around the four reflectors an illuminated ring emphasizes the circular design of each individual headlamp.

The two-part light alloy wheels are a modern interpretation of the characteristic hole pattern of the original rims. The extremely concave high-gloss black aluminum rim boasts a contrasting silver- grey cover made of glass fibre. The insides of the angular milled holes have a high-gloss finish and are distinctively accentuated by a matt overlay. A black chrome butterfly nut bearing the BMW emblem completes the contemporary version of the wheel.

Interior Design

The interior design of the BMW 328 Hommage comprises a number of details that are reminiscent of the successful motor racing history of the BMW 328.

For example, the slightly asymmetrically designed windscreen has a recess in the middle, similar to the windscreen design of earlier racing cars.

Simultaneously, it marks the areas in which the driver and co-driver sit.

Moreover, four wide leather straps run across the bonnet, which appear to dive under the side shoulder surfaces to be continued on the side. This detail, which used to be considered an extremely sporty attribute, is also featured on the BMW 328 Hommage.

Combined with the high-gloss aluminium safety buckles, the leather straps provide a touch of class in contrast to the very technical-looking carbon fibre.

The modern quick-release fasteners for securing the bonnet bring racing of the past into the present. On the driver’s scoop a large silver “75” as well as a small logo below it signify the reason for the BMW 328 Hommage.

Next to it, the integrated tank filler neck protruding from the right-hand side is a striking detail. Whilst it pr trudes prominently from the body of the BMW 328, the BMW 328 Hommage features a version that is integrated slightly more into the bodywork.

Through the use of CFRP inside the BMW 328, the “layering” design principle, with which shapes take on clear functions, adopts a completely new form of expression.

Due to its exceptional characteristics, CFRP is in itself robust and can be shaped into self-supporting structures. Hence, only two large surface areas – so-called layers – define the interior of the BMW 328 Hommage.

Both of them start at the hood and protrude into the interior. One of the layers extends to- wards the driver, reveals the entire driver’s workplace comprising steering wheel, control elements and scoop, thereby separating the driver and co-driver areas from each other.

This spatial separation is indicated by a further material: the elegant, brown leather interior extends from the entrance across the driver’s area, over the seats to the scoop, thus becoming an integral part of the design vocabulary of the first layer.

At the same time, the surrounding graphics comprising material and geometry create a link with the co-driver. On the driver’s scoop, a silver-colored logo bearing the number 75 also gives indication inside the car of the festive occasion in honor of the BMW 328 Hommage.

The second layer begins next to the scoop, making a sweep towards the co- driver, then to float freely in front of him. This gesture creates a sporty but light sense of spaciousness, opening out a functional area in front of the co-driver.

Between the driver and co-driver a multitude of recesses in the instrument panel and centre console create an airy and harmonious spatial experience, bringing the driver and the co-driver slightly closer to each other again in a sweeping gesture. The lines of the woven carbon fibers complement the interior design vocabulary perfectly.

Viewed from above, a slightly asymmetrical design of the bonnet and windscreen underscores the driver-orientated construction.

The windscreen is larger within the driver’s area, so the lines of the powerdome are of different length. Behind the windscreen they continue in the inside of the car, so that at this point both the interior and the exterior appear to be intertwined.

(Source: BMW)